Jonga elected ICAZ President

PHILLIMON MHLANGA IN VICTORIA FALLS
Jonas Jonga, Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Partner at BDO Zimbabwe, has been elected President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Zimbabwe (ICAZ), Business Times can report.
Jonga was elected during the institute’s Annual General Meeting and Winter School in Victoria Falls, succeeding Emmanuel Mudefi, whose term came to an end.
He will be deputised by Kudakwashe Mswaka as Senior Vice President, while Philemon Mawire assumes the role of Junior Vice President.
In his acceptance speech, delivered virtually on Saturday, Jonga paid tribute to past ICAZ leaders and pledged to unite the profession behind the institute’s new 2026-2029 strategy.
“I stand before you this evening humbled by the confidence placed in me to serve as President of ICAZ,” he said.
“For generations, ICAZ has been more than a professional body. It has been a national institution. It has always been about trust, professional ethics and service to Zimbabwe’s economy.”
Jonga acknowledged the contribution of former presidents, council members, committee members, secretariat staff and volunteers who, he said, had built and safeguarded the institute’s reputation over many decades.
He urged members to move beyond internal differences and focus on the future.
“Every professional institution experiences differences of opinion and technical debate. What matters is how we respond. We must not allow internal disagreements to define tomorrow’s possibilities. The future will not ask who won an argument. It will ask what we built together.”
Jonga said the institute’s newly adopted 2026-2029 strategic plan would guide ICAZ through a rapidly evolving business environment shaped by digital transformation, sustainability reporting and growing demands for transparency and accountability.
“Our profession must remain relevant and influential in a rapidly changing world,” he said.
“Technology is reshaping how professional services are delivered. Sustainability reporting is becoming central to corporate accountability. Public institutions are demanding greater transparency, while employers increasingly seek professionals who combine technical competence with digital capabilities, commercial understanding and ethical leadership.”
He said ICAZ could not afford to be a passive observer in such an environment.
“We must lead. We must remain relevant. We must future-proof the profession.”
Jonga said the institute’s strategy is anchored on four key pillars: developing future-ready accountants, strengthening thought leadership, improving member experience, and reinforcing regulation and public trust.
He emphasised that the accounting profession plays a critical role in promoting accountability, strengthening institutions and supporting national economic development.
“The quality of our profession matters because accountability in our institutions and trust in our markets matter. Our work extends far beyond our own interests. It contributes directly to national development.”
Jonga pledged to ensure ICAZ remains a respected voice in national policy discussions while continuing to uphold the highest ethical standards.
“My commitment during this presidency is clear. I want ICAZ to be respected for its standards, valued by its members and influential in national conversations. I want every member to feel that ICAZ is their professional home, whether they serve in practice, business, government, academia, entrepreneurship or the diaspora.”
He stressed that successful implementation of the institute’s strategy would depend on disciplined execution rather than well-crafted policy documents.
“Strategy without execution is merely aspiration. The success of the 2026-2029 strategy will depend not on the quality of the document but on the discipline with which we implement it.”
Jonga also encouraged members, students, council and strategic partners to work collectively in shaping the future of the profession.
“We are not merely custodians of ICAZ’s proud legacy. We are stewards of its future. The measure of our success will not be whether we preserve ICAZ for our generation, but whether we prepare ICAZ for the generations that follow.”
In his valedictory address, outgoing president Emmanuel Mudefi said the institute had made significant progress in strengthening governance, modernising its legislative framework and improving its financial position during his tenure.
“As I conclude my term as President of the ICAZ, I do so with gratitude, humility and confidence in the future of our institution,” he said.
“Our focus was not simply to conclude another strategic cycle but to strengthen ICAZ so that it remains relevant, resilient and respected for generations to come.”
Mudefi said council had made substantial progress towards modernising the Chartered Accountants Act and the institute’s by-laws while strengthening governance through enhanced accountability structures and the establishment of an Ethics Committee.
He said the incoming council would inherit an institute that was financially stronger than it had been a year ago.
“Most importantly, we leave ICAZ in a healthy and sound financial position, providing a stronger platform from which the next Council can pursue its strategic ambitions.”
Mudefi challenged the incoming leadership to safeguard the institute’s financial strength while focusing on five strategic priorities: completing the review of the Chartered Accountants Act and ICAZ by-laws, implementing the 2026-2029 strategic plan, accelerating digital transformation across education and member services, expanding membership while maintaining international standards, and strengthening public trust through ethics and good governance.
He said this year’s Winter School theme, “Charting New Frontiers: Resilience, Innovation and Sustainable Value,” reflected the profession’s future direction.
“The profession is changing rapidly, but ICAZ is well positioned to shape that future while remaining firmly anchored in integrity, excellence and service to the public interest.”
Mudefi also outlined the governance framework governing the election of the institute’s leadership, explaining that the President and two Vice Presidents are elected annually by the newly constituted Council in accordance with Section 9 of the Chartered Accountants By-laws of 1997.
He congratulated Jonga and the new leadership team, expressing confidence that they would build on the institute’s strong governance foundations and deliver on its long-term strategic ambitions.